Charles Darwin University to meet KPIs for NT government funding after scandals

Charles Darwin University (CDU) in the Northern Territory will soon be subject to strict new guidelines for its government funding, a decision prompted by a series of recent scandals and failures.

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I am bringing forward these changes to end the frustration and unnecessary costs in time and money students and their families have been caught up in.

Education Minister Jo Hersey announced that the university must now meet Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure taxpayer funds are delivering positive outcomes for students. This measure comes after a significant TAFE accreditation blunder affected hundreds of apprentices and a costly failed attempt to open a London campus, which incurred nearly $2 million in expenses without any enrolled students.

The university has faced a tumultuous year, including the resignation of its vice-chancellor Scott Bowman in February amid these crises. The government's decision also follows a further bungle this year where approximately 100 students missed out on essential electro-technology training. The Northern Territory government's 2026-27 budget allocation to CDU stands at $61.4 million.

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We must have accountability for Territorians' money invested into our training providers to make sure that we maximise outcomes.

Minister Hersey stated that if CDU fails to meet its new KPIs, the government will consider diverting resources to other training providers. "We must have accountability for Territorians' money invested into our training providers to make sure that we maximise outcomes," she said. Legislative amendments are underway, with the aim of introducing the changes to the NT Parliament in early 2027.

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If KPIs are not met I will look to divert resources to other training providers, it's just too critical that we get this right.